Container



1935. J. M. YOUNG 2,010,048

CONTAINER Filed Jan. 9, 1934 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER John M. Young, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 9, 1934, Serial No. 705,936

9 Claims. (Cl. 221-24) The present invention relates to a pouring spout liquid container or can and has particular reference to a nozzle can having a detachable and reversible air venting pouring spout from which liquid contents of the can are discharged in a steady stream during simultaneous regulated passage of air back through the spout and into the can interior.

An object of the invention is the provision of a container or can having a discharge nozzle or outlet and a pouring spout which is formed to provide a regulation of air for venting the can during discharge of its contents through the spout. Another object of the invention is the provision of a can for holding liquids and having a discharge nozzle and a pouring spout so formed that an end of the spout frictionally engages inside the nozzle to hold the former in a pouring position, the spout being reversible and insertable into the can in a non-pouring position, at which time it is supported from within the nozzle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a nozzle can and a pouring spout, the spout being formed so that it may be carried inside the can while the can is closed at its nozzle.

The invention also contemplates a can having a nozzle and a tubular pouring spout insertable in the nozzle for dispensing of the can contents, the spout being formed with an end which is provided with both pouring and vent openings so that air is admitted into the can for venting in controlled amounts to properly displace the contents and provide a steady, even flow as such contents are dispensed through the spout pouring opening and discharged through the spout.

Yet a further object of the invention is the provision of a nozzle can having a detachable pouring spout so formed that it is frictionally 40 held in the nozzle for venting and also dispensing when inserted in a pouring position and which is loosely supported in the nozzle when reversed and inserted in the can in a non-pouring position.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can embodying the present invention, the nozzle of the can being completely closed; 7

Fig. 2 is a perspective view or the detach- .able nozzle;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the nozzle end of the can and showing in side elevation the pouring spout as it appears when carried inside the can, the view also showing the nozzle closed by a protective cap; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the pouring spout in pouring position and showing the dispensing of the can contents and the venting of the can during such dispensing.

The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention disclosing a rectangular container ll having a bottom end l2 secured thereto in any suitable manner as by a double seam. A top end or cover I3 is similarly secured to the upper end of the can body. 15

The cover l3 of, the can is provided with an opening ll-(Figs. 3 and 4) which is preferably located adjacent one corner of the can and this opening is surrounded by an upstanding wall IS. A nozzle or outlet I6 is secured in place on the can end l3 and its lower end surrounds the upstanding wall l5. This nozzle is preferably formed at its upper end with an annular shoulder H, the upper edge of which is curled at l8 to provide a smooth mouth for the nozzle. The nozzle or outlet It, may, if desired, be formed integral with the container end l3.

A protective cap 2| having slit spring fingers 22 and a dome center 23 may be used for closing the open end of the nozzle. This cap carries a gasket disc 24 formed of cork or other suitable gasket material and is adapted to be placed on the nozzle with the disc resting upon the curled nozzle edge l8 and with the spring fingers 22 pressed inwardly and under the shoulder IT. The dome part 23 of the cap is flexible and when depressed forces the fingers 22 outwardly but when the nozzle is closed by the cap the spring fingers 22 are pressed inwardly into holding position on the nozzle shoulder, at which time the flexible wall 23 of the cap is domed upwardly as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

A pouring spout is provided and in the present embodiment comprises a cylindrical or tubular body 25 (Fig. 2) which is cut away at one end 26. A head 21 is secured to the opposite end of the tubular body in any suitable manner, this head having a tapered flanged wall 28 and an end wall 29. In its position on the body part of the spout the tapered wall 28 extends over and is connected with the body of the spout as best illustrated in Fig. 4.

The end wall 29 of the spout head is cut through in a pouring opening 3| which takes up substantially one half of the end wall area and is also perforated in vent openings 32, the size of the openings regulating the amount of flow.

The spout is adapted for association with the can in two different positions.

In its non-pouring position (Fig. 3) the spout is enclosed within the can, its tubular body 25 extending down into the interior and its head 21 being located within the lower part of the nozzle [6. In this position the edge of the tapered wall "rests upon the upper edge of the annular nozzle wall IS, the latter supporting the pouring spout in its non-pouring position. This is the manner in which the spout is carried when a filled can is shipped or handled in the ordinary trade, the can being closed by the protective cap 2| at such a time.

When the ultimate consumer desires to dispense the contents of the can through the pouring spout the protective cap 2| is removed by a pressing down on its flexible end 23 so that the fingers 22 are released from engagement with the nozzle shoulder H. The cap is then entirely removed from the nozzle. The pouring spout is thereupon withdrawn from the can and is reversed in its position, the head 21 of the spout being now inserted inside of the nozzle IS.

The tapered wall 28 is of a dimension to permit its engagement inside of the annular wall l of the can and'the spout is thereupon frictionally held so that it extends out and beyond the nozzle. In this inserting of the spout into the nozzle the pouring opening 3| of the end wall 29 is positioned adjacent the corner of the outside wall of the can and this locates the vent openings 32 toward the center of the can.

With the spout in this, its pouring position, the can is tilted into the position indicated in Fig. 4. The can may be provided with a handle 35 (Fig. 1) to assist in this tilting action. The liquid contents now flow out through the pouring opening 3| of the spout, the end wall above preventing the contents filling the spout. At the same time air passes in through the vent openings 32 and rises through the liquid contents as bubbles which controls the amount of flow.

Just the proper amount of air'is admitted, this amount being controlled by the size and number of the vent openings, to gradually displace the contents and fully vent the can so that the discharging stream of liquid is maintained in an even, steady flow substantially in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. When all or a part of the contents have been thus passed through-the spout and through the pouring opening of the spout, the can is again righted, and the spout removed from its frictional engagement within the nozzle, reversed into the position illustrated in Fig. 3 and the can then reclosed by its protective cap 2|. This dispensing action may be repeated until all of the can contents are removed.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a liquid container, an outlet and spout construction, comprising a pouring outlet having a tubular wall providing a. friction seat for a spout, a reversible spout having an open end and a partially closed end, said partially closed end having a pouring opening and vent openings and a tapered friction wall, said friction wall loosely engaging said friction seat when in reversed non-pouring position and tightly engaging said friction seat when in pouring position.

2. In a liquid container, an outlet and spout construction, comprising a pouring outlet hav ing a tubular wall providing a friction seat for a spout, a detachable spout having an open end formed with a pouring lip and a partially closed end having a restricted pouring opening and a series of smaller vent openings, said partially closed end being adapted to frictionally engage said friction seat to hold said spout. in pouring position.

3. A reversible pouring spout for a liquid container comprising a tubular spout body having an open pouring end and having its other end partially closed by an end member having a pouring opening and vent openings and a friction wall, said friction wall being adapted to engage the friction wall of a container outlet to secure said spout to said outlet in reversed position.

4. A container comprising a nozzle having an inner wall and a reversible pouring spout having a cylindrical body and an enlarged head at one end, said body being adapted for engagement within said nozzle, said spout having a nonpouring position with its head located in said nozzle and with its body inside of the container and also having a pouring position with its head frictionally engaging said inner Wall of the nozzle and its body projecting outwardly therefrom.

5. A container comprising a nozzle, an annular wall located inside of said nozzle and a pouring spout having a tubular body and a head secured to one end of the said body, said head having a tapered annular wall larger in diameter than the diameter of said spout body, said pouring spout being insertable in said nozzle in a non-pouring position with its body projecting inside of the container and with its tapered head wall supported on the edge of said annular nozzle wall and being also insertable in a pouring position with the tapered wall of its head in frictional engagement inside of said annular nozzle wall.

6. A container comprising a nozzle, an annular wall located inside of said nozzle, a pouring spout having a tubular body and a head secured to one end of the said body, said head having pouring and vent openings, and a protective cap engageable on said nozzle for closing the container and for confining said pouring spout in its non-pouring position, said head also having a tapered annular wall larger in diameter than the diameter of said spout body, said pouring spout being insertable in said nozzle in a non-pouring position with its body projecting inside of the container and with its tapered head wall supported on the edge of said annular nozzle wall and being also insertable in a pouring position with the tapered wall of its head in frictional engagement inside of said annular nozzle wall and with its pouring and vent openings in position for dispensing of the container contents.

7. A container comprising a nozzle and a pouring spout having a tubular body and a head secured to one end of said body, said head embodying a perforated end wall connected with a flanged tapered annular wall larger in diameter than the diameter of said spout body, said pouring spout being insertable in said nozzle in a non-pouring position with its body projecting inside of the container and with its head supported in said nozzle and also being'insertable in a pouring position with the tapered wall of its head in frictional engagement inside of said nozzle and with the perforations of its end wall on the upper side of the spout to permit venting of the container during discharge of its contents through said spout body.

8. A container comprising a body, a can end secured to said body, said can end. having an opening surrounded by an upturned flange, a nozzle secured to said can end and surrounding said upturned flange and a reversible pouring spout having a cylindrical body and a head formed with a tapered annular wall which is secured on the outside of one end of the spout body, said spout in one position extending into the container with its head resting on the upturned flange of said can end and in another position projecting outwardly from the said nozzle with the said tapered spout head wall in frictional engagement within said upturned can end flange.

9. A detachable pouring spout for a container having a nozzle and comprising a cylindrical spout body, a head formed with an end wall and a tapered annular flanged wall, said head being secured over one end of said spout body, said end wall being provided with a pouring opening and vent openings, the said tapered head wall irictionally engaging within a can nozzle for holding the spout in pouring position on the 15 container.

JOHN M. YOUNG. 

